By Amanda Alexander, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

With the holiday season fast approaching, it is time to start thinking about what to buy for friends and loved ones.  For book lovers of any age, a boxed set of their favorite series or favorite author can make for a thoughtful, personal gift.

Boxed sets for toddlers:

My Very First Library by Eric Carle

ISBN: 978-0399246661

“The perfect gift for young children learning their colors, shapes, and numbers.  All four of Eric Carle’s popular new split-page board books are now packaged together in a slipcased library. A game as well as a learning experience, these early concept books are both fun and smart.  Titles include: My Very First Book of Colors, My Very First Book of Shapes, My Very First Book of Numbers, and My Very First Book of Words. Irresistible fun for young hands and minds!”

Peter Rabbit Naturally Better Classic Gift Set by Beatrix Potter

ISBN: 978-0723264231

“This brand-new boxed set includes four classic Beatrix Potter tales that showcase their appeal with the eyecatching vine cover design. Titles include: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, The Tale of Tom Kitten, and The Tale of Jemima Puddle- Duck.”

Dr. Suess’s Beginner Book Collection

ISBN: 978-0375851568

“This collection of five beloved Beginner Books by Dr. Seuss—The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, and Fox in Socks—will be cherished by young and old alike. Ideal for reading aloud or reading alone, they will begin a child on the adventure of a lifetime!”

Boxed sets for children:

Madeline Storybook Collection by Ludwig Bemelmans

ISBN: 978-1484885031

“Madeline, a fearless little girl full of mischief and vitality, is one of the world’s most popular and beloved fictional characters.  In each of these books, Bemelmans’ humorous verse, his immortal characters and his wonderful, whimsical drawings of Paris combine to create a memorable reading experience for people of all ages.”

Bad Kitty’s Very Bad Boxed Set by Nick Bruel

ISBN: 978-1250010346

“Young readers will be cracking up at Bad Kitty’s antics and at the lively line art in these three entertaining books.  Included is: Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty, and Bad Kitty vs Uncle Murray.  But wait, there’s more! Included in the boxed set is a full size poster featuring the cover of Bad Kitty for President. So put your paws up and vote!”

Classic Characters of Little Golden Books

ISBN: 978-0375859342

“This beautiful boxed set brings together five of the all-time favorite Little Golden Books! The Poky Little Puppy, Tootle, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, Tawny Scrawny Lion, and Scuffy the Tugboat. This classic collection in its own slipcase is perfect for gift-giving—and is great value, too!”

Classic boxed sets for middle readers:

Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys starter set

ISBN: 978-0448464961 (Nancy Drew)

ISBN: 978-0448464954 (Hardy Boys)

“The first five books in the each of these respective classic mystery series are packaged together in a collectible box set featuring a newly redesigned slipcover.  The perfect gift for the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys fan in your life.”

The Black Stallion Adventures by Walter Farley

ISBN: 978-0375834066

“Walter Farley’s tales of bravery, instinct, and survival have been captivating readers for almost 65 years. Here, in a handsome gift set, are four of the best, starting with The Black Stallion, where Alec Ramsay saves the Black after a shipwreck. The bond they form cannot be broken. It  survives their separation in The Black Stallion Returns. Reunited in The Black Stallion’s Ghost, they survive a terrifying curse. Finally, in The Black Stallion Revolts, they are separated again after a plane crash! Each gripping tale culminates in a thrilling race to the finish!”

Magic Treehouse Starter Library by Mary Pope Osborne

ISBN: 978-0307930453

“Get ready for a world of adventure with the first two books of the New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series! This boxed set also includes the first nonfiction companion title, Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Dinosaurs, and the fun activity book Games and Puzzles from the Tree House as a special bonus!  These four titles are the perfect gift for a Magic Tree House fan or any child who loves a good adventure.”

*Also of note is A Newbery Collection boxed set that includes four unforgettable Newbery Medal winners and can be found here.

Modern boxed sets for middle readers:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books by Jeff Kinney

ISBN: 978-1419711824

“The first four books in the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series are available together for the first time in a collectible boxed set. Included are Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules, The Last Straw, andDog Days, in a specially designed package that features six pages from Rowley Jefferson’s journal, “Diary of an Awesome, Friendly Kid”—an original cartoon by Jeff Kinney.”

The Penderwicks 3-book Boxed Set by Jeanne Birdsall

ISBN: 978-0385755870

“Including The Penderwicks, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette are available in a charming paperback boxed set. Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, these stories are as breezy and carefree as a clear June day!”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Boxed Set by Rick Riordan

ISBN: 978-1484707234

“All five books in the blockbuster Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, in paperback, have been collected in a boxed set fit for demigods. Now with glorious new cover art and packaged with a special poster, this value-priced set includes the best-selling The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian.”

Boxed sets for Young Adults:

The Hunger Games Box Set: Foil Edition by Suzanne Collins

ISBN: 978-0545791915

“All three Hunger Games books in one gorgeous package! The extraordinary, ground breaking New York Times bestsellers–The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay–are available now in a deluxe foil boxed set edition.”

Divergent Series Ultimate Four-Book Box Set by Veronica Roth

ISBN: 978-0062352163

“Available together for the first time—all three books in the #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy, plus the companion volume told from the perspective of the immensely popular character Tobias. Perfect for established fans who want to own the full Divergent library or readers new to the series, this box set includes Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, and Four: A Divergent Collection as well as an exclusive Divergent series poster!”

John Green Box Set

ISBN: 978-0147515001

“Discover #1 New York Times bestselling author John Green from the beginning with four critically acclaimed, award-winning modern classics, including Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars, now a major motion picture.  This complete collection includes paperback editions of John Green’s award-winning books in a stunning case. The perfect introduction to John Green or addition to any fan’s collection.”

The Gary Paulsen Collection

ISBN: 978-1442497788

“This collectible boxed set from acclaimed author Gary Paulsen includes four beloved titles.  In Dancing Carl, a teen’s terrible secret becomes a fragile expression of hope and the healing power of love.  In the Newbery Honor Book Dogsong, Russel takes a team of dogs on an epic journey of self-discovery that will change his life forever.  In the Newbery Honor Book Hatchet, Brian Robeson must survive fifty-four harrowing days following a plane crash, stranded in the desolate wilderness with only his instincts.  And in Woodsong, Gary Paulsen recounts in vivid detail some of the incredible life experiences that shaped his remarkable fiction.”

Graphic novel boxed sets:

Boxers & Saints Boxed Set by Gene Luen Yang

ISBN: 978-1596439245

“In two volumes, Boxers & Saints tells two parallel stories. The first is of Little Bao, a Chinese peasant boy whose village is abused and plundered by Westerners claiming the role of missionaries. In the second volume, Yang lays out the opposite side of the conflict. A girl whose village has no place for her is taken in by Christian missionaries and finds, for the first time, a home with them.  It offers a penetrating insight into not only one of the most controversial episodes of modern Chinese history, but into the very core of our human nature.”

Persepolis Boxed Set by Marjane Satrapi

ISBN: 978-0375423963

“Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.”